Hanging folder



March 1-7, 1959 R. H. FURRER ET AL 2,877,772

HANGING FOLDER Filed Oct. 21, 1953 {NVENTORSI RwamW/w FU/PRFR BY FEM g W/EfA'A/fi HANGING FOLDER Rudolf H. Fiirrer, Kusnacht-Zurich, and Frank F. Wiegand, Zurich, Switzerland, assignors to Rud. Furrer Sohne, A. G., Zurich, Switzerland, a Swiss company Application October 21, 1953, Serial No. 387,492

Claims priority, application Switzerland August 27, 1953 2 Claims. (Cl. 12916.7)

The present invention relates to filing means such as folders, loose-leaf binders, file-guide cards and the like suspendable in hanging file systems with laterally arranged reference elements.

Several kinds of hanging files with laterally arranged reference elements of the type described are known and there exist various kinds of suspendable folders and loose-leaf binders for use in such files. Suspendable loose-leaf binders of this kind as at present known are either provided with hooks or eyes engageable with thesupporting rails of the file system or formed with a curved recess in the rear fold which enables the binder to be suspended from a supporting rail of suitable design. While suspension by means of hooks or eyes is simple and reliable in operation, it requires a relatively large clearance of unused space when several hanging files are arranged one above the other between adjacent rows of suspendable folders, thus causing available space to be inefliciently utilized. Loose-leaf binders having a recess in the rear fold thereof, requiring to be considerably inclined for engagement with the supporting rail, cause space to be inefficiently utilized and possess other disadvantages such as irregular positions when suspended and easy detachment from the supporting rail in the event of accidental jolts.

An object of the present invention is to improve suspendable filing means of this type.

It is one of the primary objects of the invention to provide means facilitating manipulation of suspended filing means for placing into or removing from same documents and like papers without withdrawal of the filing means from the suspension rails with which such filing means remain always in engagement.

It is another object of the present invention to provide means redounding to a very sturdy and easily operable filing system in which a rail suspended folder and like filing means may be opened from the front edges thereof while the folder remains in suspended position of the rails, so as to obtain access to the contents of the folder without disturbing adjacent folders.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of means conducive to a very efficacious filing system, which affords retainment of a rail-suspended folder in open position when access is to be had to said folder and which facilitates ready return of the folder to closed position after contents thereof have been worked upon.

These and other objects of the invention will become further apparent as the description proceeds.

In accordance with the present invention suspendable filing means for hanging files with lateral reference elements, such as folders, loose-leaf binders, file-guide cards and. the like are suspended by means of recesses in at least one top portion from at least two horizontally arranged and spaced supporting rails. A characteristic feature of the novel filing means thereof is that at least one top portion of the filing means is provided with two 2,877,772 Patented Mar. 17, 1959 recesses of different shape namely, a front and a rear recess. The rear recess is arranged for engagement with the rear supporting rail which rear recess extends into the rearward side or end edge, while the front recess is engageable with the front supporting rail and extends from the upper end edge in a downward direction from the upper edge of the folder or the like. The configuration of the said recesses in the filing means, once said means are brought into engagement with the supporting rails, prevents any movement of the filing means normal to the supporting rails in an upward or downward direction, from the front to the rear and vice-versa, while enabling the filing means to be easily shifted in a lateral:

direction.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is hereinafter described in detail and in connection with the drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the front recess and rear recess respectively, said recesses being designed in accordance with the invention and formed in the upper portion of a folder forming a filing means;

Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic side view of the position or;

the folder provided with the recesses shown in Fig. 1 and in the stage to be suspended from support rails; and Fig. 3 is an end view of the folder shown in Fig. 2. Referring now more particularly to the drawing, there is disclosed a suspendable folder 12 provided with a front or forward recess 3, 2, 4 and a rearward slot or recess 7, 9 adapted for the engagement with forward and rearward suspension rails 13, 14. The folder has side walls 12a, 12b and a hinge or crease 12d. On the upper end of the folder wall 12a is fixed a reinforcement ledge 1a exteriorly thereof and to folder wall 12b is likewise connected a reinforcement ledge 1b, as more clearly depicted in Fig. 3. These ledges 1a, 1b terminate in uppermost or top end edges id, which are co-.

extensive with each other. The front edges of the side walls are designated by the numeral 17 and the rear edge of each side wall is designated by the numeral 8.

It will be noted from the drawing that the front or forward recess is composed of a substantially horizontally directed slot portion 2, 4 provided with circularly-shaped edges 5, 6, and 4a, the latter being spaced from the front edge 17 of the respective side wall and extending in spaced relation to the respective upper edge 1d.

Each side wall 12a and 12b is further provided with I 9a, 9b diverging from the edges 11 of the narrow slot 7.

It is to be noted that each upwardly extending edge 9a of the respective rear recess forms an acute angle with said upper edge 1d of the respective side wall.

The edges 5, 6 defining the elongated slot portion of each front recess are level with the respective edges 11, defining said narrow slot of each rear recess of each 1 side wall and are adapted for engagement with the fixed rails 13, 14, as may be well understood.

Due to the particular formation of the front and rear/ recesses in the side walls of the folder, the side walls may he slid through the intermediary of said rear recesses and said front recesses onto said rails for suspension. Thus, the folder is adapted to become accessible fromthe front edges 17 of the said side walls by spreading the latter apart at said front edges sufficient to permit movement of said side walls on said front rail until the latter 3 abuts against the end edges 4a of the horizontally extending elongated slots of the front recesses while the side walls remain in engagement via the edges 11 of the narrow slots 7 with the rear rail 14.

It will be noted that the arcuate-shaped edges 5, 6 of the horizontal slot portion 2, 4 of each front recess intersect with each other at a and the arcuate-shaped edge portion 5 intersects at 5b with the adjacent upwardly extending edge 3a defining slot 3, thus providing rail stops or retaining means 5a, 5b for a purpose later described.

In a similar manner arcuate-shaped edge portion 11 of each rear recess 7, 9 intersects with edge 9a at 11a and forms thereat likewise rail stop or retaining means.

It will be noted that the distance between the center of arcuate-shaped edge 5 and that of arcuate-shaped edge 11 corresponds to the distance A between rails 13 and 14 (Fig. 2).

Slot 3 and in particular edge 3a of said slot may form an angle of approximately 45 with the top edge 1d and has a width larger than the diameter of the rail 13 which is to be inserted through slot 3 for engagement with the arcuate-shaped edge 5.

It is obvious that the width H of the horizontal slot portion at 5a is at least equal to or larger than the diameter of the respective supporting rail 13 which will be normally seated against the upwardly curved edge portion 5. The diameter D of the circular-shaped edge portion 6, 4a of the closed end edge of the horizontal slot portion 2, 4 is larger than the distance H at the stop means 5:1.

It is quite apparent that the lower curved or arcuateshaped edge portions corresponding to the upwardly curved edge portions 5, 6 can be dispensed with without affecting the principle of operation. This achieves the advantage that the upper circular edge portions 5, 6 can be extended farther in downward direction. As shown, the upwardly and rearwardly inclined slot 3 may be provided with edges flaring toward its mouth, as indicated in Fig. 1 so that engagement with the supporting rail 13 is greatly facilitated.

Each front recess consequently consists of an elongated substantially horizontal slot 2, 4 which terminates in an end edge, as shown, located a predetermined distance from the front edge 17 of the folder 12. The aforesaid elongated horizontal slot intersects with the inclined slot 3 and is provided with two spaced, rail retaining means, one located adjacent the respective end edge and another provided at the intersection of the slot 2, 4, with inclined slot 3 to facilitate location of the front rail 13 at said rail retaining means. The rear rail 14 is lodged in a narrow slot 7 level with the said horizontal slot 2, 4, when the folder 12 is normally suspended from said rails 13, 14.

Front rail 13 is located between the first and second rail retaining means, and rail 14 is located at a third rail retaining means, as later set forth, and the distance between said rails 13, 14 corresponds substantially to the distance between said second and third rail retaining means, with the front rail located between said first and second rail retaining means and said rear rail positioned in the aforesaid narrow slot defining said third rail retaining means.

As hereinabove stated the rear recess in the top portion 1 according to Fig. 1 consists of a circular opening 7 of a diameter D arranged at the same distance from the upper edge of top portion id as openings 2 and 4. This opening 7 communicates with a downwardly inclined open slot 9 extending from the rear end edge 8 of the folder into said opening 7. This slot 9 is downwardly inclined in relation to the top edge 1d of ledge 1. Fig. 1 also shows that immediately rearwardly of opening 7 with a width H the slot is widened in such a manner as to form a large mouth along the end edge 8, which tapers otf towards opening 7. If desired, the

mouth 16 may be formed with a smaller width by disposing the lower edge of slot 9 with a lesser angle in relation to the top ledge 1 either over its entire length or over part of its length, as indicated in Fig. l. The mouth of slot 9 opening 7 is, however, always arranged in such a manner that at least the upper curved edge portion 11 of opening 7 forms a retaining means or stop at the intersection with the upwardly extending rear edge of rear recess 9, 18, as may be seen from Fig 1.

It will be noted that each rear recess 9, 10 of the folder is defined by upwardly and downwardly extending edges diverging from the edges of the respective narrow slot and opening to the respective rear edge of each side wall of the folder. The respective upwardly extending edge of each rear recess of each folder wall forms an acute angle with the upper edge of the respective side wall, whereby at the intersection of the respective edge of each narrow slot with said upwardly extending edge of each rear recess a second retaining means or stop is formed for engagement with the corresponding rear rail 14.

As shown in Fig. 2, the suspendable folder 12, held at a slight angle relative to a line connecting the supporting rails 13 and 14, is moved rearward in the direction indicated by arrow 15, the upper edge 1d of the top ledges 1 gliding along the lower edge of the front supporting rail 13 and exerting a slight pressure thereon. The rear end edges 8 of the folder and the wide mouth of the slot 9 reach the rear supporting rail 14 before the upper mouth of slot 3 reaches the supporting rail 13. The wide mouth of slot 9 ensures positive engagement of the rear supporting rail 14 and when the folder 12 is moved further in the direction of arrow 15, the supporting rail 14 will be directed into hole 7 either along the upper or the lower edge of slot 9. During this movement of the folder 12 the upper edge of whose top ledge 1 is at all times lightly pressed against supporting rail 13, the said rail reaches the vicinity of the upper opening of slot 3 and slides into this slot until it engages slot 2, 4. This is the rest position of the suspended folder 12, with the supporting rails 13 and 14 resting in the arcuate portions 5 and 11 respectively.

When the suspended folder 12 is at rest, movement thereof in the direction of arrow 15 and in the opposite direction is prevented by opening or slot 7 or, more specifically, by the upper curved portion thereof, the diameter of the supporting rail being at most identical with H, that is, smaller than the diameter D of the opening 7. Also a movement of folder 12 in either vertical direction is prevented, due to the engagement of the rails in horizontal slots 2, 4 and slot 7. When at rest, the suspended folder 12 is positively suspended from the supporting rails 13 and 14. The folder is slidable in the longitudinal direction of the said rails because only the relatively small portions 5 and 11 of slots 2 and 7 respectively rest on the rails 13 and 14 respectively and the diameters of the supporting rails and the slots are different. Removal of such a folder 12 is as simple as the suspension thereof, since it can be easily effected by inclining the folder by a small angle to disengage it from the rest in slot 7 and moving it frontwards in the opposite direction of arrow 15.

The second opening 4 of the front recess enables the folder 12 to be easily opened when suspended. When separating the two top portions 1a and 1b (Fig. 3) of the side walls 12a, 12b of folder 12, the supporting rail 13 slides from opening 2 into opening 4 past rail retaining means 5a and is engaged by the arcuate edge portions 6. The separated ledge portions 1a, 1b are therefore held in this position by end edges 4a and rail retaining means or rests 5a and the folder can be opened without necessitating removal thereof. The opening 4 of the front recess further enables the suspended folder to be placed in a somewhat oblique position, so that no jamming occurs when it is moved in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the supporting rails.

Various changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention and it is intended that such obvious changes and modifications be embraced by the annexed claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a filing system having a hanging folder for endwise access thereto and having fixed and spaced apart horizontal front and rear rails for suspending said folder therefrom; said hanging folder having two side walls hinged together at their lower edges, said side walls terminating in coextensive upper edges and having further front and rear edges, each of said side walls being provided with a substantially horizontal elongated slot spaced from the respective front edge and extending in spaced relation to said upper edge, each side wall being further provided with an upwardly and rearwardly directed inclined slot opening to the upper edge and communicating with said elongated slot thereby to define a front recess, the respective rear edge of each side wall being provided with a rear recess opening into the latter, each rear recess having a substantially horizontal narrow slot defined by edges spaced from said upper edge of the respective side wall and having further a slot defined by upwardly and downwardly extending edges diverging from the edges of said narrow slot and terminating in the rear edge of each side wall, each upwardly extending edge of said rear recess forming an acute angle with said upper edge of the respective side wall, the edges defining said elongated slots of said front recesses being level with the edges defining said narrow slots of said rear recesses of said side walls and being in engagement with said fixed rails, respectively, when said folder walls are slide through the intermediary of said rear recesses and of said front recesses onto said rails for suspension, said elongated slots having closed end edges normally spaced from said front rail in closed condition of said folder, said folder being adapted to become accessible from the front edges of said side walls by spreading the latter apart at said front edges sufiicient to permit movement of said side walls on said front rail until the latter abuts against said closed end edges of said elongated slots of said front recesses while said side walls remain in engagement via the edges of said narrow slots with said rear rail, first rail retaining means forming part of said horizontal edges of said elongated slots of said front recesses and located a sufiicient distance from said closed end edges of said horizontal elongated slots to receive said front rail therebetween, a second rail retaining means at the intersection of said elongated horizontal slots with said inclined slots of said front recesses, and third rail retaining means located at the intersection of said edges defining said narrow slots with said upwardly extending edges of said rear recesses, the distance between said second and third rail retaining means corresponding substantially to the distance between said front and rear rails from which said folder may be normally suspended with the front rail located between said first and second rail retaining means and said rear rail located in said narrow slots, said front rail being disengageable from said second rail retaining means and being located between said closed end edges of said front recesses and said first rail retaining means upon spreading apart said folder side walls' at said front edges of the latter for accessibility to said folder.

2. In a filing system according to claim 1 and having rails circular in cross-section; the edges defining said elongated slots of said front recesses being arcuately shaped and presenting two juxtaposed upwardly curved edge portions, said juxtaposed upwardly curved edge portions forming therebetween said first rail retaining means, said second rail retaining means extending into said elongated slots, said third rail retaining means located at said narrow slots of said rear recesses being defined by upwardly curved edge portions for engagement with said rear rail, said front rail being normally located in closed condition of said folder between said first and second rail retaining means of said front recesses, said upward curved edge portions of said front recesses and of said rear recesses being conformed to said circular crosssection of said rails.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,530,230 Brown Mar. 17, 1925 2,483,046 Heckert Sept. 17, 1949 2,528,485 Chenouard Nov. 7, 1950 FQREIGN PATENTS 493,265 Germany Mar. 5, 1930 579,484 Germany June 27, 1933 613,566 Germany May 23, 1935 671,783 Germany Feb. 13, 1939 53,503 Netherlands Oct. 16, 1942 631,133 Great Britain Oct. 27, 1949 81,384 Norway Mar. 2, 1953 

